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Mythology (class)
(('OOC Note: 'This is a work in progress and will be updated with new information after each class. It is intended as a study guide and an aid for those who have OOC'ly missed IC classes.)) An Introductory, OOC Note To skip this note - though some questions and concerns may be addressed in it and I urge you to read it before IM'ing me (GambitsObsession) with queries - and proceed to the textbook/study notes section, please click here: x I have loved mythology a great deal since I was very young, and have read many books - mainly Greek - of myths and folklore. Each story is told differently based on the writer and this is because most myths are passed word of mouth: *The Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic language is barely understood and many stories have been lost due to the age of the monuments and artefacts on which they are inscribed *The Vikings were largely illiterate and relied on captured slaves to record their deeds and stories; most of their myths were recited as poems known as Eddas *The Ancient Greeks and Romans eventually recorded their stories in written form, but the sizes of their empires and the variation in myths between regions led to inconsistencies *The Christian influence throughout the UK and Ireland resulted in the persecution of pagans and the destruction of many historical artefacts that recorded their stories. Like those of the Vikings, most Celtic stories were memorised and recited as poems As a result, there is rarely a 'right' way to tell a myth. While most facts are agreed upon, such as the parents of Zeus or the name of Thor's hammer (though spelling varies at times), others are different between storytellers. What versions of the myths are told in the class are the versions that will be used in exams etc, thus they are recorded here to ensure consistency in knowledge from student to student. That does not mean any contradictory pre-existing knowledge of myths that you may have is wrong, and debate over the variations is welcome both IC and OOC, but the fact remains that the notes contained here will contain the answers to exam questions and any other answer will be considered incorrect. Arguments to the contrary will not be tolerated - debate is one thing, obstinate refusal another. For anyone interested - and this is purely for background reading if you so wish and is by no means obligatory, everything you need to know is in the notes below - the books I use for reference (as well as for my own enjoyment) are as follows: *[http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/014133259X Tales of Ancient Egypt] by Roger Lancelyn Green (ISBN: 978-0-141-33259-8) *[http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tales-Greek-Heroes-Puffin-Classics/dp/014134170X Tales of the Greek Heroes] by Roger Lancelyn Green (ISBN: 978-0-141-34170-5) *[http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/178087748X The Greek Myths: Stories of the Greek Gods and Heroes Vividly Retold] by Robin and Kathryn Waterfield (ISBN: 978-1-78087-748-8) *[http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0446574759 Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes] by Edith Hamilton (ISBN: 978-0-446-57475-4) *[http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1843623080 The Orchard Book of Roman Myths] by Geraldine McCaughrean (ISBN: 978-1-84362-308-3) - there is also a Greek myths book by the same author, one of the first mythology books I ever read *[http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0241953219 The Penguin Book of Norse Myths: Gods of the Vikings] by Kevin Crossley-Holland (ISBN: 978-0-241-95321-1) *[http://www.amazon.co.uk/Broonie-Silkies-Fairies-Travellers-Tales/dp/0862414563 The Broonie, Silkies and Fairies] by Duncan Williamson (ISBN: 0-86241-456-3) - most of the dialogue in this is in Scots and may be tricky to understand, but footnotes and a glossary are provided. I may or may not have accidentally stolen this from my Primary school... *[http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0754828980 The Illustrated A-Z of Classic Mythology: The Legends of Ancient Greece, Rome, and the Norse and Celtic Worlds] by Arthur Cotterell (ISBN: 978-0-7548-2898-3) - this is a reference book and full of illustrations, photographs, and fine art. It is extremely interesting but is not a full dictionary of mythological places and figures I also have [http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0141021764 The Penguin Book of Myths & Legends of Ancient Egypt] by Joyce Tyldesley (ISBN: 978-0-141-02176-8), which was an ill-informed purchase and is more academic - so I will not be drawing on it too heavily in classes. It is also less child-friendly, and not something that would likely be taught to eleven- and twelve-year-olds (though the Waterfield and Hamilton Greek books are also gory and explicit at times, I will gloss over these points or tone them down in class), and analyses rather than retells the myths. It is interesting, though, in terms of the cultural impact of the myths and I may conduct one or two advanced classes to look at these aspects if there is time. I will also take a moment to suggest reading Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles, and the upcoming Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard - purely for entertainment as he has tweaked a few myths to suit the stories. However, they very enjoyable and a good way to introduce yourself to mythology in a somewhat relatable way - I've even got my book-shy cousin trying them. So thank you for reading this note. I hope it has given you some insight to the classes and an idea of what to expect. Incidentally, the textbook listed in the infobox is made up - I hope I did J.K's creativity justice in choosing the author's name. Category:Classes